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SRK Consulting Staatsolie Refinery Draft EIA Report: Non-technical Summary Page iv The expanded refinery will also require new wastewater treatment facilities, a new (higher) flare, expanded storage facilities for crude oil and products, and additional utilities. The proposed layout of the expanded refinery is shown in Figure 2. The new expanded refinery will produce premium diesel, gasoline (RON 95) fuel oil, asphalt bitumen and sulphuric acid, which will be exported from the refinery by ship (from the existing jetty), truck and pipeline. Staatsolie has committed to strict standards for air emissions, noise and wastewater quality for the proposed expanded refinery. These standards are based on international guidelines and standards such as those of the European Community, World Health Organisation, World Bank/IFC and the Netherlands. A 14 megawatt (MW) power plant (with two 7 MW engines) managed by the Staatsolie Power Company Suriname (SPCS) is located on the north-western part of the refinery site. The power plant became fully operational in August/September 2009; before that it was only run every now and then. The plant provides power to the national grid. 5 DESCRIPTION OF THE AFFECTED ENVIRONMENT 5.1 Biophysical Environment Suriname has a typical tropical climate with high rainfall and high temperatures. Most rain falls during the long and short rainy seasons, which are separated by long and short dry seasons. In the area around the refinery site, daytime winds usually blow from the east and night-time winds from the north-east. Conditions are calmer at night than during the day. The existing refinery emits several different types of pollutants into the air, including hydrogen sulphide (H2S), which is responsible for the smell that can sometimes be smelled around the refinery. However, the air quality specialist study found that the levels of all of these pollutants are well below the relevant international health standards and therefore do not pose any health risk for the surrounding communities. The study further showed that the SPCS power plant emits very similar pollutants (but not H2S) to the refinery and actually emits more of some of these pollutants than the refinery does. The refinery is located on poorly drained clay soils deposited by the Suriname River. These soils are not really suitably for agricultural crops or livestock. A soil investigation in early 2009 found evidence of oil pollution on the proposed expansion area, which resulted from a spill at the refinery several years ago. Noise levels in the areas surrounding the refinery site are below the IFC’s guidelines levels for residential, commercial and industrial areas, although, , since the power plant started working continuously in August/September 2009, night-time noise levels in the Dijkveld residential area are close to the relevant guideline level. The refinery is located on the lower stretches of the Suriname River (see Figure 3), which flows in a generally north-south direction. Figure 3: The refinery site as seen from the Suriname River. (Photo by T. Rex.) The Tout Lui Faut Canal releases effluent (wastewater) and stormwater (rain water) into the Suriname River just downstream of the refinery site. Groundwater is abstracted from an existing borehole on the refinery site from a deep-lying aquifer. There is also very shallow groundwater on the refinery site, but this is not used. Very little natural vegetation and/or habitat remains in the vicinity of the refinery and secondary growth of low marsh forest occurs in small patches. Until recently, the proposed expansion area was covered with such secofndary forest, but this was cleared recently. There are no plant species that are important for conservation in the study area. Terrestrial (land-based) animals that may occur along the lower Suriname River are those that commonly live close to humans, such as opossums, bats, monkeys, sloths, rodents, snakes, lizards and birds. No species of concern are expected to occur in the area. FOUD/dalc 398251_Staatsolie_Draft EIR_Non-technical Summary FINAL.doc November 2009
SRK Consulting Staatsolie Refinery Draft EIA Report: Non-technical Summary Page v No fish species of concern are known to occur in this stretch of the Suriname River. The Suriname river dolphin occurs as far upstream as Paranam and the vulnerable West Indian Manatee may also occur in the Suriname River. The endangered Giant river otter is known to occur in Suriname but is not expected to live in the study area (although they may visit the area). The vulnerable Yellow-spotted sideneck turtle may also occur in the study area. 5.2 Socio-economic Environment The Staatsolie refinery site is located in the Ressort Houttuin in the district of Wanica. The local communities near the refinery are Dijkveld and Tout Lui Faut. Part of Dijkveld falls within Ressort Livorno in the Para District. Ressort Houttuin is home to about 13 000 people, with more people living in Dijkveld than other parts of the ressort. Historically, Ressort Houttuin was a rural farming area where vegetables, fruits and livestock were farmed. Local commercial activity is increasing, especially near the refinery site where there are several existing and planned commercial and light industrial developments (see Figure 4). Most people from the Dijkveld area grow LEGEND: Commercial area Secondary marsh forest River side vegetation Abandoned / fallow land and scattered small-scale agriculture and grazing Residential areas Agriculture Industry, workshops and warehouses Sand mining vegetables and fruit and keep livestock in their yards. There is also a commercial farm near to the refinery where fruit (mostly West Indian cherry) is grown. About 16 – 20 local commercial fishermen (with 12 small boats) fish in the Suriname River and have their base near the sluice gate on the Tout Lui Faut Canal. The government employs about half of the local (employed) population and many local people travel to Paramaribo for work every day. About 50 people residing in Ressort Houttuin and Dijkveld are employed by the Staatsolie refinery (about 30% of refinery workers). Approximately 115 people living in the District Wanica are employed at the company’s Saramacca Operations. There is one main policlinic and a smaller health post in Ressort Houttuin, both run by the Regionale Gezondheidsdienst (RGD). Ressort Houttuin has one junior secondary school and five primary schools, two of which are located in the Dijkveld area. Most households in Ressort Houttuin have electricity, telephones and water, but many also collect rainwater to reduce costs. Waste is collected from households in Houttuin and taken to the waste disposal site at Ornamibo in Ressort Domburg. Figure 4: Land use and vegetation in the vicinity of the refinery site. (Adapted from Noordam & Teunissen, 2009) FOUD/dalc 398251_Staatsolie_Draft EIR_Non-technical Summary FINAL.doc November 2009 N
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